The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-03-17
THE BANK OF FRANCE.
An Index Of the Prosperity Of the
Republic.
s,usthIur About Its History and Present
x.nagement-Over &1OO, 100000
Standing to Its Credit-Its
Paper in Circulation and
Metallic Basis.

Next to the Bank of England, the
Rank Of France is the largest and most
Important Of all the other banks in
Europe. Occupying very nearly the
Sule position in France as the Bank of
England does in this county, it is in
msny respects similar, and performs for
he country the same kind of duties.
The public moneys are deposited with
,he Bank Of France; it alone has the
sole right Of issuing notes for that
country. (This is what Sir Robert Peel
would have attached to the privileges
d the Bank Of England, if he had been
able; but usage and vested interests
were too powerfully Its capital is
possessed by proprietary whose liza
blities are Of similar nature to those
II any other banking institution. 1t
opensaccounts with properly introduced
persons, and keeps in its Golfers the
metallic reserves.
Having mentioned these analogies be-
tween these two great banks, there are
points where their conduct diverges.
The transactions of the Bank of En-
gland are on q larger scale, owing to
ihelarger mercantile operations in this
country. The commercial habits of the
Trench are plainly indicated in the
class Of bill business which their chief
bank undertakes. During the whole of
last year it discounted no fewer than
l99SS9 bills under four pounds, most
of them payable at private addresses.
i is an unusual thing for sn English
banker to take a bill under ten pounds,
and he will require satisfactory reasons
ior dlseonnting bills payable at private
addresses. 1t is presumed here that in
such case the acceptor can not be
Substantial man, or he would have a
banker.
Another point of divergence, again,
smthe government of the bank, where
N mthe French have shown their belief in
ne efficiency and effectiveness of gov
Eminent control. Our own government
aa not IN any way interfere with the
eperations of the Bank of England, ex-
eeptln respect of its note issue. The
i'ench bank is presided over by gov
anor, appointed by the government,
VINO also appoints the two deputy
sosernors. The three highest offices are
AUS held by government men; and the
eaeeo the governor is held for life. 1t
sms duty to see that the obligations
imposed upon the bank by the govern
aent are in all respects carried out, and
= =. I as the connecting link between it
aad the governments In addition to the
sasefnor and two deputy-governors, the
ssaslai assembly. consisting of two
saudred OF the largest shareholders,
a'ea tne general council, whiehis made
Z K y nIleen regents and three censors.
- .ae manufacturing and trading inter-
! - 4 are supposedto be duly represented
: s. ns council. for five of the regents
las' oe chosen from each of these
saes' There isyet another committee
e, { WE'VE persons, who must be share
:. ssAsls carrying on business in Paris,
~ Tolnled BY the censors. This COM
: s'''ee mas the responsibility of examin-
IS - and passing all the bills taken for
i. e : oank was established in 1903 bv
: Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Its
s' ss'ilution !. has been slightly modified
~ - 'l'ne to time, as circumstances
q s required. 1t has been successfully
~ p1adently managed, though there
s 's oeen times when its existence has
e ~ threatened. In 1913, during the
4 sau9lon' ' it made large advances to
sb;sr ;sV'efnment and to the city of Paris,
: .A' = combined with a severe drain
: ,,.s : gold, strained it's resources to SO
I IS. 80 = extent that it was compelled
r. sspena ssl!s specie payments. To lessen
issss wy q this measure and limit the
-. ,asenience arising therefrom, its
s s lse ~ere made and have continued to
- ie81t kanJn.
eos,.s;, isports y annually issued by the
IS ,sa -, " this bank to the shareholders
dst.s. ;aa q interesting and instructive
d ~ ~ whereby comparison with those
hus[;.ss [ years, and the progress of the
& ss' can be followed, and the pub-
lsese,t r0l. |. estimated. These reports
so.e,s; = curious study to bankers and
sss IN shis country. for they